Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Jump - Jump (1971 us progressive rock - 320K and WAV)

This progressive pop-rock quartet was led by lead guitarist / vocalist Dennis Tracy, along with lead vocalist / organist Scott Thurston, bassist Mark Spiwak and drummer Don Gorman.

They’d met on Sunset Strip in Los Angeles one night, and quickly found management in the shape of The Doors right-hand man Bill Siddons (who had time on his hands while The Doors were on hiatus following the recording of LA Woman.)

After a week’s rehearsals, they signed the Janus (asubsidiary of Chess) at the Beach House in Santa Monica, California, and Flew to San Francisco to cut an album at the legendary Wally Heider’s Studios before they’d so much as played a gig.

Overseen by Fred Catero – famed for his work with Bob Dylan, Santana and others – the Sessions took three weeks (and were filmed by UCLA film Student Reed Hutchinson, though it has yet to resurface).

Their first gig was in front of 5000 people at the San Bernardino’s Civic Aufitorium. Following the album’s release on the Janis label in the summer of 1971, they undertook two nationwide tours, including a performance at the massive week-long Celebration of Life festival in Macrea Louisiana that June.

Despite a strong commercial sound (and a German release for the LP on Bellaphon), the split later the year over musical direction (Thurston and Spiwak favored a more traditional rock/blues sound, while Tracy was more interested in classic songwriting).

After the split, Tracy embarked on a solo career, including a 1974 album on which he was backed by Thurston and Spiwak, meanwhile, became a leading Session Musician and long-time member of Iggy Pop and Tom Petty’s bands.

Track List:01. Love Wit Chu Mama02. No News03. Here I Lie With You04. Your Heart Can Find You A Song05. Such A Lover06. Having A Wonderful Time07. Close As Touch08. Enough Of This Circus09. Bank Of Love10. Change, We Are All Alive11. Life, Leave Us Part As Friends